HFC refrigerants see out 2019 with further price declines

23 March 2020 11 May 2020

Prices of HFC refrigerants continued to fall in the final quarter of 2019, completing a year of price decreases from the highs in 2018.

According to the latest report from German consultancy Öko-Recherche, the price falls were on average at a lesser rate than in previous quarters. Despite this, prices at OEM and service company level were still four to six times higher than before the start of the price increase in 2017. Demand was also at a low level compared 2017.

Selling prices of service companies also further decreased and reached a comparable price level to that in Q3/Q4 2017. Prices of lower GWP alternatives are reported to have remained either stable or further decreased.

The Q4/2019 figures were compiled from returns provided by 82 companies from eleven EU member states. All supply chain levels were represented: three gas producers, 10 gas distributors, 26 OEMs, 37 service companies, five end-users and two other companies. Main respondents were from France, Germany, Italy and Poland.

Only four companies reported limited availability of refrigerants.

Limited quantities of reclaimed refrigerant means the prices of these gases may be as high as twice the price of virgin gases. Most common reclaimed gas is R404A, followed by R134a.